Anyone watching Callum Marshall’s 15 minute cameo chasing down a lost cause for Northern Ireland against Germany last night would have been impressed with his energy levels and now-customary closing down defenders with a youthful exuberance.
What many don’t know is that the young West Ham striker came through Northern Ireland’s adult leagues in a pretty tough environment for a teenager before joining West Ham’s academy: No quarter was given in the games in which he learned his trade.
The subject of a new report in the standard.co.uk, one of the less well known facets of Marshalls fledgling career is that he possesses an immense mental strength which has got him right to the fringe of the first team at London Stadium.
With Niclas Fullkrug out injured, fortune may just have smiled on the 20 year-old and given him the opportunity to make his breakthrough.
No Fullkrug means chances to impress at London Stadium: Who will thrive?
As Sam Tabuteau writes:
“I see a lot of boys who’ve been in the academy system since they were nine, and when you get a boy from Northern Ireland come over at 16, who’s not been in that system, they bring a rawness, a naturalness that sometimes can be lost by over-coaching,” [ said Kevin Keen]
“I think that desire, the win-at-all-costs mentality, has gone a little bit out of the game, especially with youngsters. That is certainly there within Callum He wants to win at everything. I think definitely when he’s on the pitch, he wants to be the best player.”
Maybe it is that which has enticed Nuno to give Marshall minutes ahead of veteran Callum Wilson. With the German Fullkrug out for four to six weeks, both are sure to get opportunities to grab desperately needed goals. For Marshall it’d be a debut goal to crown a debut season. And who knows, perhaps a new Hammers star will be born. Wishful thinking, maybe. But why not.
sorry, forgot to mention, would be great to see him playing off of a no9 as focal point, but not sure how that would fit into the frontline we have, usually consisting of Bowen & Summerville, with a lone forward.
He is great at closing down and harassing defenders. He’ll always cause an opponent problems with his running and the way it seems he is hell bent on scoring a goal almost as soon as he steps onto a pitch.😊
Either way, hope he gets to play plenty of times this season and even if he does not score 20 goals (kidding), he will create space for other players and be a constant threat to defenders pulling them out of position, etc. In that alone he is a valuable player and he looks as he will always poach one or two as well.
Good point about how his background prepares him for the PL though. Perse mentioned how PL can be almost “brutal” for teenagers. Be like water off a duck’s back to him.
I have to say, you can see his mental toughness and his attitude in his press conferences.
And being through the NI system and living conditions, this can only have built him as we se him now.
I hope he gets a real run out for us